Frederick receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Gaithersburg
Frederick
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs64 · Top 33%
Growth
43 · Bottom 36%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
74 · Top 31%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 41%
vs78 · Bottom 47%
Schools
72 · Top 23%
vs58 · Top 41%
Access
91 · Bottom 46%
vs82 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
72 · Top 24%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Gaithersburg | Frederick | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 69,825 | 83,395 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $112,467 | $97,069 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,861 | $49,823 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,754/sq mi | 3,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $496,500 | $401,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,058 | $1,764 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.8% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.5% | 43.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 96 | 513 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 6.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 88°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.2" | 35.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 34 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.5 min | 32.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 37.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 23 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.98 | 15.43 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 20.0% | 16.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 30.7% | 24.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 45.9% | 51.0% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Gaithersburg
71
Your Score
68
Area Score
Frederick
71
Your Score
70
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Gaithersburg, MD · Frederick, MD · How this is calculated: methodology